Chapter 765: A Crow's Invitation |
"Alright, that's enough. It's getting late now."
Ming Yue spun her sword once before sheathing it. Compared to the others, she barely broke a sweat.
And the others were a little worse off than her.
Hongyu was breathing hard, using her own sword to keep herself standing. Xiao Yin, Hei Yue, and Liang Wei were just as tired from the sparring. Both the fox and the twin-tailed cat were panting while the owl was slumped on the ground.
"Come on, let's clean ourselves up and sleep."
The woman smiled, walking up to Hongyu and helping the girl stand up. Together with the three beasts, they made their way toward a nearby spring, bathing in the cold water.
It wasn't long before they finished up, quickly dried with a warm wind that Ming Yue conjured.
Everyone filed into the house, entering through the main door. The layout was all in one floor. There were no walls separating anything but there was a dedicated kitchen, a dining table with chairs, and a large bed that was big enough for both people.
Ming Yue tucked the girl into bed first before joining her. Xiao Yin perched by the bedpost while Hei Yue curled up on top of the blankets. And with Liang Wei's large body, the beast curled around the entire bed.
She sat upright, watching as the little girl slowly fell asleep though she fought to stay awake until the very end.
"Mm, Hongyu, you're tired, close your eyes and sleep for the night. We're going to have a lot to do tomorrow", she said to her, "We'll be heading out for a little bit."
The little girl seemed curious and excited but that didn't last very long as her eyes drooped, growing heavier and heavier by the second.
"Yes, since you have been able to hunt more than one Rank 1 beast, I think it's time for you to aim for something stronger", she muttered quietly.
Her gaze was stuck to Hongyu's round face, she cleared some of the hair away, poking at her cheek a few times.
And then, the girl was sound asleep while Ming Yue was awake, watching quietly.
But her smiling fondness slowly turned as she began to think about the future.
"What the elders said is true... her growth is extraordinary. She just turned ten and is now ready to hunt Rank 2 beasts."
Thinking this, she couldn't help but be astonished at her growth. However, that also brought out some lingering thoughts.
"Just who is she? What is she? Even after all this time, we've found out nothing about her. She just isn't from this world but where could she have come from? Could she truly be some sort of heavenly or demonic existence like the Ascetic said?"
But this was just one of many things that she was worried about. After all, Elder Fei's concerns were not misplaced and Ming Yue knew that.
"Haah, a hundred years. I suppose it's less than a hundred years now", she thought to herself, "It's only been a few years since I dealt with the Ascetic but too much has changed. I wonder how the Demon Continent is holding up. Do the Zodiacs still have control over the Den?"
Her thoughts ran off as she moved from one thing to the next, not knowing what to focus on.
But they soon returned to the original topic.
"Hongyu... how long will I be able to watch over you? I wonder, at what point would you want to go off on your own?" she wondered.
This made her somewhat nervous. After all, she had been taking care of Hongyu all this time. When it would come time to let her go, Ming Yue wasn't sure how she'd take it.
"No, that moment won't be for another few years at least."
She shook her head, thinking more about her day-to-day life than the long-term. Despite all of these worries, something snapped her out of that state.
It was the cawing of a crow.
Ming Yue immediately looked up and looked around her house.
"A crow?.. Could it be..?"
She immediately looked at the door and moved her hand towards it, opening it and allowing a crow to enter.
It was a rather large one with feathers darker than the night and there was a slip of paper tied to its claw.
Flying in, the crow was quiet, immediately going to her and landing on the other bedpost opposite Xiao Yin.
No one but Ming Yue seemed to notice this new guest, they were all still asleep.
"Hm? What does the Crow Immortal want from me?"
She reached over to the letter, untying it from the crow's foot and reading through it.
"Come to me when you've reached the Heaven Realm, that is if you wish to learn about the girl."
Ming Yue read it once and then twice, there was a dumbfounded look on her face.
"What does the Crow Immortal mean by this? Does he know Hongyu's origin? But he would know this... He's an Immortal, one who specializes in information. Still, why now? He could have done so earlier."
Needless to say, this message disturbed her greatly.
"When I've reached the Heaven Realm..."
She took a deep breath and sighed.
"I'm not very far from it... but it would take a long time."
Reaching the Heaven Realm had always been a race against time and a game of endurance. After all, breaking through required nothing more than power, an enormous amount of power. Just meditating and absorbing the energy in her surroundings wouldn't be enough.
Ming Yue needed to find a place that was densely filled with energy. For the common person, such a place would be suffocating for them. On top of that, such places were rare and generally claimed by others. But that wasn't the only method. If she obtained the proper treasures, she could absorb their energy for the same effect. Of course, the results may be even quicker but the risk was equally as high.
"Haah, and I did say I'd come with her to hunt a Rank 2. But I don't think I will be able to find anything more than a Rank 4 around here", she thought.
Her mind was all over the place, trying to figure out what exactly she needed to do.
"Should I consult the elders at Heaven's Gate? Perhaps, they know a good place to cultivate, especially for someone trying to reach the Heaven Realm. No, no, one thing at a time, I need to go with Hongyu to hunt a Rank 2 first. I also have to attend the celebrations for Elder Fei and the others. But after that, I should aim for the Heaven Realm."
Setting her priorities straight, Ming Yue made a plan and stuck with it. Putting the paper away, she looked at the crow who looked back at her curiously.
She gently scratched the crow's head.
"Tell your master that I understand. Once I reach the Heaven Realm, I'll come by the Peeking Crow's Inn."
The crow purred* before flying off, leaving the house. The door closed after it, as Ming Yue waved her hand.
Ming Yue didn't sleep, she was awake the whole night though with her level of cultivation, she could go months without it. She just looked forward, thinking quietly.
And as a new day began, everyone woke up early. While she made breakfast, Hongyu made preparations, checking her equipment and making sure that everything was in check.
"Once breakfast is finished, we'll be heading out and towards Death Wind Mountain. Once we reach it, it will be up to you to find a Rank 2 beast", she told the girl.
Hongyu nodded with a look of confidence, no doubt she felt ready.
